Purposefully crafting #opportunitymakers

The Teen Dragon’s Den Roadshow is an opportunity for teenagers to pitch their ideas/businesses to a panel.of established entrepreneurs. Deserving businesses/ideas also stand a chance to receive a cash injection.

We will be in Diepsloot and Alexander in April. Follow up with us for further details on:

JA South Africa provides engaging entrepreneurial programmes, which foster confident and empowered young people who are possibility seekers and creators of opportunities. Through these programmes, JA South Africa aims to contribute to meaningful economic participation by nurturing entrepreneurial thinking among young people. Over the course of several months, participants in theJA South Africa programme in South Africa were exposed to programmes aimed at training them on the basics of conducting various small business enterprises in the Gauteng Province. During the Youth Enterprise Development Programme – a 20 session incubator-style programme spanning three months – students are required to start up and run a business that will be sustainable, through on-going support, mentorship, and financing upon programme completion. The programme includes site visits, case studies, guest speakers, and an introduction to micro finance.1 One hundred fifteen (n-115) different small business enterprises were followed to determine the challenges and successes experienced unique to each. The growth of each entrepreneurial team was tracked during a series of follow-up phone calls over 6-month post-exposure periods (July – December 2013; September 2013 – March 2014), which was then disaggregated into individual indicators such as financial profit and loss, contextual challenges unique to each team, loss of original team members (attrition), changes in marketing strategies, changes in business plans and ideas, and overall promise for future successes.

Are you an alum of our programmes? If so, you have first dibs on these two and all future job vacancies and other opportunities we will soon be announcing at JA South Africa!

So… if you 1) meet the vacancy requirements 2) are an alum of one of our programmes, then please submit a CV, contact details of three referees and a motivation letter detailing your interest in and suitability for the position to Lisa Sonnekus, lisa@jasa.co.za or fax to 011 331 0278 on or before close of business on 5 February 2016.

JA South Africa has, for the past 37 years been offering South African youth, aged between 10 and 35 a platform to create sustainable futures as opportunity makers and possibility seekers. We achieve this through our array of programmes, all experiential in nature where learners are required to actively engage in real business or financial activities. Follow us on Facebook; Junior Achievement South Africa or on Twitter @JASouthAfrica – hashtag #OpportunityMakers. JA South Africa is affiliated to JA Worldwide (www.jaworldwide.org), one of the largest business education organisations in the world, operating in over 120 countries.

JA South Africa seeks to appoint a full-time Receptionist and Admin Assistant based in Johannesburg, Gauteng.

Purpose of the Job:
Serves as the first line of contact on behalf of the organisation – in person and telephonically. Maintains the reception area in a respectable and presentable state. Manages the stationery requirements of the organisation. Assists with learner transport arrangements and data processing. Assists with marketing administration.

Reporting Relationship:Reports directly to the Managing Director

Required Minimum Education:Matric

Required Minimum Experience:
At least 2 years of administration skills and experience

Key Competencies Required:

Ability to work fast and efficiently and patience

Computer literacy in word-processing, and spreadsheet programmes. Able to work with minimum supervision

Assists with data processing for the programmes team and Marketing and Communications Manager and M&E Coordinator

Assists with general communications administration as requested

To apply, submit a CV, contact details of three referees and motivation letter detailing your interest in and suitability for the position to Lisa Sonnekus, lisa@jasa.co.za or fax to 011 331 0278. Deadline: Close of Business on 5 February 2016. Please add the date, venue and name of the JA South Africa programme you attended.

Are you an alum of our programmes? If so, you have first dibs on these two and all future job vacancies and other opportunities we will soon be announcing at JA South Africa!

So… if you 1) meet the vacancy requirements 2) are an alum of one of our programmes, then please submit a CV, contact details of three referees and a motivation letter detailing your interest in and suitability for the position to Lisa Sonnekus, lisa@jasa.co.za or fax to 011 331 0278 on or before close of business on 5 February 2016.

JA South Africa has, for the past 37 years been offering South African youth, aged between 10 and 35 a platform to create sustainable futures as opportunity makers and possibility seekers. We achieve this through our array of programmes, all experiential in nature where learners are required to actively engage in real business or financial activities. Follow us on Facebook; Junior Achievement South Africa or on Twitter @JASouthAfrica – hashtag #OpportunityMakers. JA South Africa is affiliated to JA Worldwide (www.jaworldwide.org), one of the largest business education organisations in the world, operating in over 120 countries.

JA South Africa seeks to appoint a full-time Monitoring and Evaluation Coordinator based in Johannesburg, Gauteng.

Reporting to the National Programmes Manager and working with a team of agents, programme co-ordinators and facilitators, the incumbent will be responsible for the development and implementation of monitoring and evaluation strategies, frameworks and tools that will ensure accurate and timely information and feedback to stakeholders, and for planning and conducting data quality assurance and monitoring activities and reports.

Responsibilities:

Develop and implement monitoring and evaluation strategies and frameworks in consultation with EXCO;

Ensure that strategies and frameworks are implemented and coordinated across all programmes nationwide;

Oversee database setup and management in consultation with EXCO;

Work with the National Programmes Manager to design & implement data collection tools and forms;

Develop data collection procedures and ensure compliance with such procedures;

Train staff responsible for data collection and other key staff as required;

Demonstrated understanding of and familiarity with a range of applied research and monitoring and evaluation approaches in the development and social sciences sectors, with an emphasis on education,

Demonstrated understanding of data management systems;

Demonstrated ability to communicate technical information clearly and effectively to both technical and non-technical colleagues;

Fluency in English, including speaking, writing, and reading;

Valid driver’s licence.

Personal Attributes

Methodical and organised

Problem-solving abilities

Ability to prioritise and manage a number of projects simultaneously

Ability to show initiative

Attention to detail

Ability to work in a team

Confident in communication with people across all sectors of society

Systems thinking

Passion and commitment to development

Outcomes driven

Strong decision-making

To apply, submit a CV, contact details of three referees and motivation letter detailing your interest in and suitability for the position to Lisa Sonnekus, lisa@jasa.co.za or fax to 011 331 0278. Deadline: Close of Business on 5 February 2016. Please add the date, venue and name of the JA South Africa programme you attended.

JOHANNESBURG – A group of 27 excited participants descended on Johannesburg on Thursday, 1 October. Two young business leaders from each of the nine provinces, accompanied by a chaperone all had one goal in mind – to be the winning team of the inaugural JA South Africa | Citi Company of the Year Competition 2015.

Prior to their arrival in Johannesburg, the business leaders used WhatsApp messages to submit their responses to challenges, were briefed about presentation content and marketing materials to prepare, and various other methods of support offered the teams. Nthato Malope (@Nthato) from Kairos, a business that works with entrepreneurs and helps them tell better stories about their businesses, guided the young business leaders through a series of workshops to refine their final pitches to judges.

In their exhibition shells, which served as their makeshift business for the day, teams engaged a panel of judges who assessed their trade booth, their company financial reports, their business presentation and their ability to answer tough business related questions posed by the judges. The judges identified a top 5 at the end of this stage of the competition. Teams in the top 5 were:

The top 5 then presented to a final panel of judges on Saturday 3 October at a cocktail event hosted at Citi. Judges on the day were; Dennis Evans – CCO, Citi; Daisy Tlhapane – Head: Middle Market Segments, Multichoice; Karabo Denalane – MD, McCann Johannesburg; Siya Mapoko, Author and Speaker. Reaching a decision on the final top 3 was no easy feat as the judges deliberated for about an hour following the top 5’s presentations to them.

The final top 3 were announced as:

Washer Washer

Creative Artifical Jewelry

Innovative Minds

The winning team, Washer Washer from the Free State – Simphiwe Mokoena, Simphiwe Gumbi, and their chaperone Pontsho Kakuli are photographed here with Karabo Denalane, Dennis Evans and Daisy Tlhapane.

The winning team, Washer Washer from the Free State – Simphiwe Mokoena, Simphiwe Gumbi, and their chaperone Pontsho Kakuli are photographed here with Karabo Denalane, Dennis Evans and Daisy Tlhapane.

Prizes include a trophy for teams placed 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, a cash equivalent prize for the winning team’s school and flights to Gabon, West Africa for the winning team of four members plus a chaperone to compete in the JA Africa Regional Company of the Year Competition.

About JA South Africa

JA South Africa has, for the past 36 years been offering South African youth, aged between 10 and 35 a platform to create sustainable futures as opportunity makers and possibility seekers. We achieve this through our array of programmes, all experiential in nature where learners are required to actively engage in real business or financial activities.
Additional information may be found at www.jasa.org.za | Twitter: @JASouthAfrica | YouTube: www.youtube.com/JASouthAfrica | Blog: JASouthAfricaBlog | Facebook: www.facebook.com/JASouthAfrica

About CitiCiti, the leading global bank, has approximately 200 million customer accounts and does business in more than 160 countries and jurisdictions. Citi provides consumers, corporations, governments and institutions with a broad range of financial products and services, including consumer banking and credit, corporate and investment banking, securities brokerage, transaction services, and wealth management.
Additional information may be found at www.citigroup.com | Twitter: @Citi | YouTube: www.youtube.com/citi | Blog: http://blog.citigroup.com | Facebook: www.facebook.com/citi | LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/citi

Being unemployed in South Africa is a reality I know all too well. But this reality did not sit well with me. I am a mother of two and a mother who wants more for her children than I was exposed to, so being unemployed for three years made me realise I do not want to be a statistic in this battle. Insanity is said to be the result of doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result so I finally had to admit that the futile hunt for a job was over but was not sure what was next? How will I put food on my family’s table? Enter JA South Africa and their offer to provide experiential entrepreneurial skills training.

Dibuseng Phaloane (30) is a recent graduate of the Absa-funded ITS TYME Programme offered during 2015 in Orange Farm, south of Johannesburg.

I was a subsistence entrepreneur before joining the ITS TYME Programme – for me to survive, I started selling polony hampers in my community. I provided 41 different hamper options and this kind of variety set me apart resulting in my ability to make 100% profit (purchase price of R70 and selling price of R140). The revenue enabled me to send my 10 year old to a private school in Orange Farm (which caters to her learning needs) and costs R12,000 p.a. excluding transport of R300 per month. But often I was unable to make the monthly commitments to school fees let alone living expenses and I was constantly stressed out by the possibility that my child will be suspended from school. And then in an attempt to expand my business’ reach, I walked to the opposite end of Orange Farm marketing my meat business along the way. This is when I met Jabulani Dlamini at the Orange Farm Skills Centre. He was scheduled to attend the programme and was an advocate for the programme – introducing it to other out-of-work out-of school-youth in Orange Farm and he introduced me to the ITS TYME programme. I am a true believer in fate!

A few weeks into the JA South Africa programme I learned there are alterative ways to grow my business and I increased my product range even further – I began selling rainbow chicken hampers as well. Later, I saw the opportunity to take the same products and open my own store where, in addition to the raw meat products, I sold fast food using my own stock and the profit margins grew exponentially. This decision came off the back of a market research exercise I was encouraged to do on the programme. Now I was able to support my family’s needs as well as purchase equipment for my business. I bought a deep fryer and a fridge and at end of this month (August) I will buy a bigger deep fryer (priced at R3,000) to address the needs of my growing business. My profits have now grown from about R3,000 to about R5,000 – R6,000 per month.

The entrepreneurial bug has now bit. I’ve recently been exposed to an opportunity to sell furniture. My boyfriend, who was an unemployed carpenter, presented his business case to me and since I am not strong in financial acumen, I consulted a fellow student on the ITS TYME programme for guidance on this decision. After an assessment of the business case against my cash flow and savings, I am now able to provide my boyfriend with seed funding of R5,000 into his business based on profits from my food business.
My fellow student on the programme commended me on my business systems when he assisted me with the decision to invest in my boyfriend’s business. During the programme I learned how to record daily, weekly and monthly sales in a more effective manner. So now, at the drop of a hat, I am aware of my business’ financial health. I also realise that I don’t have to do everything in the business and am creating joint ventures with other small business owners – especially those I met on the ITS TYME programme – to support me in areas of business management where I am not strong.

A report from Dibeseng after visiting Alexandra during site visits on the ITS TYME Programme:

“Its business as usual on the streets of Alexandra. Manic doesn’t even begin to describe the scene as cars toot their Hooters while blasting every sound imaginable. The taxi driver dodged his way through the traffic. Our destination was Alexandra, well known for producing prominent, respected entrepreneurs and top politicians. I was amazed by the area itself. There is no space in Alexandra for anything. How can one run a business in such a congested place but JASA creates a culture of entrepreneurship but how possible is it here. I knew that it was important for me to be part of the field trip but I never thought that will change one factor which I thought was an obstacle for me to open my own business. An office, business space for me it could make or break my business. We visited different businesses that had 1 common thing, they are operated against all odds. I found it very amusing and amazing that Tumi the shoe polisher and Valentino the restaurant owner established their businesses in Alex. Vali’s restaurant is on top of a house, there is no space but Valentino managed to run a resurant,bar and clothes shop in one congested area. He used what he could get hold of to build his empire and yes he survives. I’m also very afraid of rats even when they are dead but Tumi managed to run a successful shoe polishing business here. If it was me I was going to observe disadvantages, risks and failure of the business in a place like Alex where rats use rocks to sharpen their teeth. I realised that for one to be an entrepreneur, it starts within,passion,determination and vision may lead me to be a successful business woman. Like Lorenzo, he worked very smart to be where he is today. Due to his hard work he managed to create jobs for more than 100 people. He is a mentor to his fellow employees and partners. I want to achieve, its important that I stop looking for short cuts but use what I have to build a well known respected undertaker company that will create employment for residents of orange farm. I truly treasure what JASA taught me. With the skills I obtained I will be able to conduct myself in a proper manner that will assist me to run a profitable business. Slowly but surely I am going there”
By Dibuseng Phaloane:

Shinaaz Poemedie, facilitator at Pescodia High School in Roodepan shares with us the inspirational story of growth and maturity of Melvin van der Westhuizen.

He walked into the first session with a limp, pants hanging low and a look on his face that I’ve come to recognise among the young men in Roodepan, Kimberley. “Here comes trouble!” was my first impression of Melvin. But boy, was I wrong. At first, he was talkative and disruptive in class. I now know that he was trying to enforce his place as leader on the programme. However, this soon backfired when he was not chosen for any of the positions in their mini business despite self-nominating for many. I’ve been a facilitator for 12 years now and I’ve never seen anybody mature so much in such a short space of time.

Shinaazawards Melvin the Most Improved Learner Award at the end of the Investec-funded 20-week Academy which he attended in 2014

“I realised that because I want to become a teacher, like Shinaaz who inspires people to live their potential and to make as much money as we did on the programme, I needed to pull up my socks. That’s when I decided to learn as much as I could on the JASA programme. I learned what the word discipline means and I wanted to let the others see this too so I started arriving early for JASA classes, stayed positive and helped out in any way I could. I enjoyed getting compliments from the others and assisting the General Manager of our business.”

When she realised what a role model Melvin had become, JA South Africa’s Northern Cape agent, Mercedes Fredericks invited him to earn some extra cash as a co-facilitator on her programmes. In this role, Melvin attends recruitment drives to help motivate potential new learners, assists Mercedes as a class aide and is often seen to be motivating learners to join JA South Africa programmes.

Good luck as your prepare for your exams, Melvin! We look forward to following your journey to becoming a great teacher!